Coastal Towns – Brunswick Heads

This little coastal town north of Byron Bay, hugged by both river and ocean, fosters a blossoming and exciting food scene, first-class coffee, eclectic homewares shopping, and beautiful nature walks. A 15-minute drive from the Atlantic, it’s an ideal day trip or book ahead and come for an evening of destination dining at Fleet. Footbridge and Tableview cafés and falafel joint Yami are worth the drive alone, and there’s an eponymous proper Aussie pub known for its cold beer and lively Sunday sessions. You can also spend a couple of hours getting lost in the antiques and interiors stores including Clem’s Cargo, Lazybones and the sweet new Sunshine Trader. There’s a lot of great outdoors to explore in this unspoiled spot too, starting with the Brunswick River walk, which is dotted with old timber bridges. The north bank is home to protected rainforest, while a harbour and marina lend a seaside village atmosphere to the south bank. Nestled in the breakwater, beach lovers can find gentle little coves like Torakina, while white sands and surf breaks stretch to the south. The Bruns river is one of our favourite paddling spots: borrow an SUP for the day from the Atlantic reception or take a guided tour or lesson. Fishing, bike riding, river cruising, plus bird and whale watching are other great ways to spend the day here.